Astronomy current events question: proposed Bio-Indicator Lidar Instrument

Astronomy 210L, fall semester 2016
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students are assigned to read online articles on current astronomy events, and take a short current events quiz during the first 10 minutes of lab. (This motivates students to show up promptly to lab, as the time cut-off for the quiz is strictly enforced!)

Lori Keesey, "New Instrument Could Search for Signatures of Life on Mars" (November 1, 2016)
nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/new-instrument-could-search-for-signatures-of-life-on-mars/

A proposed Bio-Indicator Lidar Instrument (BILI) would be used by future Mars rovers to remotely detect organic particles in:
(A) cloud ice crystals.
(B) underground water deposits.
(C) gases trapped in rocks.
(D) ancient fossils.
(E) dust plumes.

Correct answer: (E)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186
(A) : 2 students
(B) : 6 students
(C) : 2 students
(D) : 1 student
(E) : 9 students